Sector Commercial Director

Overview

In this Sector Commercial Director role you lead and develop the commercial function across the division, shaping strategy and resource allocation. You will partner with the Sector Director to drive performance, risk management and commercial governance, while building strong relationships with clients, JV partners and suppliers. You will safeguard margins and cash flow, oversee bids and contracts, and contribute to Costain’s mission of delivering smart infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Lead the sector’s commercial strategy and ensure alignment with the delivery of the sector plan
• Provide leadership, guidance and development for the commercial team, including succession planning
• Resource and workforce planning to ensure suitably qualified personnel for contracts and work-winning programmes
• Oversee risk management, cash flow optimisation and route-to-margin for all projects/contracts
• Ensure compliance with work-winning processes and governance, and maintain commercial records per statutory/contract requirements
• Manage supply chain commercial management and contract administration
• Direct resolution of legacy and emerging contractual issues, including formal dispute resolution where necessary
• Take responsibility for insurance matters relevant to the sector and coordinate group renewals
• Champion SHE (Safety, Health and Environment) improvements and align with the company’s SHE strategy
• Support collaboration with customers, JV partners and suppliers, enabling cross-functional and alliance-based delivery
• Contribute to the sector strategy with the Sector Director and monitor delivery against milestones
• Provide commercial leadership to bids/tenders and the work-winning effort
• Ensure that projects have risk and cash management plans and accurate financial forecasts
• Close out completed projects with lessons learned and share insights across the organisation
• Demonstrate compliance with The Costain Way governing work-winning, commercial, risk and supply chain management

Key requirements

• 15+ years post-graduate commercial experience in construction
• RICS / CICES accredited degree with full membership
• experience in collaborative, alliancing and/or joint venture environments
• strong financial and commercial acumen with track record resolving complex issues
• ability to lead, inspire and develop high-performing teams
• confident decision-making based on analytics and situational awareness
• ability to influence at all levels of the organisation
• proven ability to deliver under pressure in a dynamic commercial environment
• experience drafting contractual correspondence and executive summaries
• demonstrated governance and risk management capabilities
• ability to mobilise and operate in collaborative enterprises
• experience with insurance management and bonding/claims processes
• understanding of legal and commercial frameworks for customers and contract types

• leadership and people development
• influence and negotiation
• decision-making with analytical thinking
• risk management
• cash flow and financial forecasting
• work-winning governance and bid compliance

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